Efficiency of Digestate from Biogas Plants for the Formation of Bio-Organic Technologies in Agriculture

Abstract

The article examines the potential of digestate from biogas plants as a high-quality organic fertilizer that can ensure environmentally friendly development of the agro-industrial complex. The essence of the European Green Deal, the role of biogas production, and the use of digestate for achieving a climate neutral economy are considered. The purpose of the article was to analyze the potential of digestate production in Ukraine and to substantiate its role in Ukraine’s achievement of the goals set by the European Green Deal. The research was carried out according to dialectical and systemic approaches, using monographic, economic-statistical, index, and cartographic methods. The results showed that Ukraine needs further development of biogas production and an increase in digestate production to meet the demand of agricultural enterprises for organic fertilizers, as there is currently an urgent need to increase soil fertility. It was determined that, in addition to European integration processes and the implementation of “green” technologies, a driving force for the intensification of digestate use is the high cost of mineral fertilizers on the Ukrainian and world markets, as well as high efficacy of digestate as an organic fertilizer. The authors proposed and calculated the green agriculture index, which is based on the calculation of the ratio of the amount of active substance, the rate of mineral fertilizers, kg to the rate of application of organic fertilizers, t/ha. Its levels (intensive, growing, declining, extensive) were determined by the regions of Ukraine, and strategies for the use of digestate were developed depending on the level of the region’s greening. It was proven that the future of Ukrainian agriculture should be based on green agriculture and the active use of digestate as a fertilizer, which will help to produce environmentally friendly products, increase production volumes, and reduce the ecological burden on the environment. The use of digestate will help to achieve a reduction in the application of mineral fertilizers up to 25% by 2030 in accordance with the eco-goals of the European Green Deal.

Keywords: digestate, bio-organic technologies, fertilizers, biogas